Fabric laying-up mechanism



April 26, 1966 w. F. SOUTHWELL ETAL FABRIC LAYING-UP MECHANISM Filed Feb. 21. 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.!

I VENTO WYNDHAM SOUTF fifi/ELL,

NICHOLAS WEHRMANN v wza ATT RNEYj April 1966 w. F. SOUTHWELL ETAL 3,248,105

FABRIC LAYING-UP MECHANISM 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 21. 1964 FIG. 2

FIG.4

I48 INVENTORS WYNDHAM F. SOUTHWELL NICHOLAS WEHRMANN F IG. 5 @77 7% I ATORNEYS April 1966 w. F. SOUTHWELL ETAL 3,248,105

FABRIC LAYING-UP MECHANISM Filed Feb. 21, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS WYNDHAM F. SOUTHWELL Y NICHOLAS WEHRMANN ATT RNEYS April 26, 1966 w. F. SOUTHWELL ETAL 3,248,105

FABRIC LAYING-UP MECHANISM Filed Feb. 21, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 F 6 INVENTORS WYNDHAM F. SOUTHWELL NICHOLAS WEHRMANN ATT RNEYS April 1966 w. F. SOUTHWELL ETAL 3,248,105

FABRI C LAYING-UP MECHANISM Filed Feb. 21, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS WYNDHAM F. SOUTHWELL NICHOLAS WEHRMANN BY ATTORN Y5 A ril 26, 1966 w. F. SOUTHWELL ETAL 5 FABRIC LAYING-UP MECHANISM Filed Feb. 21, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG. IOC

FIG. IO F FIG. IOE

FIGJOD INVENTORS WYNDHAM F. SOUTHWELL BYNICHOLAS WEHRMANN ATTORNEYS April 19.66 w. F. SOUTHWELL ETAL 3,248,105

FABRIC LAYING-UP MECHANISM Filed Feb. 21, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 l 9. H O Q 9 LI. 9 LI.

K 9 I O Q Q LI. 9 LI.

9 8 Q s 9 E LL INVENTORS WYNDHAM F. SOUTHWELL NICHOLAS WEHRMANN BY M *v /wy-flbc ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,248,105 FABRIC LAYING-UP MECHANISM Wyndham F. Southwell, Wilkesboro, and Nicholas Wehrmann, North Wilkesboro, N.C., assiguors to L & L Manufacturing, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 346,512 12 Claims. (Cl. 270-79) This invention relates to the mechanism for and a process of laying up a traveling strip of material.

Patented Apr. 26, 1966 ice are deposited on the pile. These rollers may, as exemplified, be mounted on hinged arms attached to a transverse beam. This beam is moved in a circular path so that during a portion thereof the rollers on the end of the arms are caused to engage and smooththe just formed end fold. During the remaining portion of the circular movement, both beam and rollers are moved from the This invention pertains particularly to the mechanism I lar knitted fabric, it is often highly desirable to fold the strip of tubular fabric in a zig-zag manner with the lonitudinal edges in vertically aligned relationship and with the portions therebetween fiat and smooth. At the end folds where the tubular strip is reversed and laid upon itself the end fold portions are desirably smoothed and pressed so as to render the folded ends free of bunching and wrinkles.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of mechanism for and a process of folding one or more strips of fabric in a manner so as to smoothly deposit and fold the same in a wrinkle-free array and with no unwanted stretching of the fabric.

It is a further object of this invention to provide layingup apparatus which is readily adjustable and adaptable to simultaneously fold a plurality of strips of fabric irrespective of the heights of the individual piles of fabric.

Another object is the provision of mechanism which is economical of manufacture and will provide a continuous precise operation, with the various components being maintained in relative operative relationship to each I other.

It is also an object of this invention to provide apparatus for the laying-up in predetermined adjustable lengths and in a zig-zag manner of one or more traveling strips of fabric and to lay the same on support means so arranged that the transverse folded ends and short portions extending therefrom are disposed to lie in an outwardly and downwardly sloping direction, and including pressure means to smooth downwardly and outwardly each successively formed sloped portion.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a process for the laying-up in a zig-zag manner .a traveling strip of material and for smoothing and pressing each successively transversely folded end. I

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts, and the several steps and the relation and order of one or more of such steps with respect to each of the others, all as exemplified in the following detailed disclosure and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

In the exemplified form of construction there is provided a lay-up mechanism in which the traveling strip or strips of fabric is received and transported by a conveyor bed comprising three driven rollers. From the last of these rollers the fabric travels to and between a pair of inwardly-turning rollers mounted on the end of a swing arm, this arm being pivotally mounted and extending upwardly therefrom. Operating in timed relationship to the oscillation of the swing arm are smoothing rollers adapted to engage the end fold of the fabricpile and to smooth that fold as later portions of the traveling strip path of the traveling strip as a new end fold is being made and are brought again to the point of engaging and smoothing the end fold.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of the mechanism in which certain of the components are partly removed to show some of the drive elements;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the mechanism of FIG. 1 showing three strips of material being laid up by an arrangement having three pairs of smoothing rollers;

FIG. 3 is an end view of a modified form of mechanism employing two pairs of smoothing rollers, and not showing the fabric being laid-up;

FIG. 4 is a top view of a hinged smoothing-roller arm and a portion of a roller;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the hinged smoothing roller arm taken from underneath FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the mechanism of FIG. 1 taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 3 and showing'the relationship of several elements as used in this embodiment to provide the drive therefor;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the mechanism of FIG. 1 taken on the line 77 of FIG. 3 and showing the relationship of the drive elements operating the smoothing rollers;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the mechanism of FIG. 3 taken on the line 88 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is an exploded isometric view showing the arrangement of elements and assembly thereof of the adjustable crank arm;

FIG. 10A is a somewhat diagrammatic view showing the relative relationship of the swing arm to each of a pair of smoothing rollers at the instant shown in FIG. 1 and with the arm moving to the right;

FIG. 10B is a view similar to FIG. 10A but with the arm swung further and to the extreme right from the position of FIG. 1 and with the arm ready to start moving to the left;

FIG. is a view similar to FIG. 10A and with the arm in the same position as FIG. 10A but moving to the left and with the swing rollers in their new position;

FIG. 10D is a view similar to FIG. 100 but with the arm moving and moved fifteen degrees to the left thereof;

FIG. 10B is a view similar to FIG. 10D but with the arm now at approximately right angles to the table and fifteen degrees to the left of FIG. 10D;

FIG. 10F is a view similar to FIG. 10E but with the arm moving to a position about fifteen degrees from FIG. 10E;

FIG. 106 is a view similar to FIG. 10F but with the arm still further to the left to a position about thirty degrees to the left of FIG. 10E;

FIG. 10H is a view similar to FIG. 10G in which the arm has reached its maximum leftwardly direction swing at a point about forty-five degrees past the vertical of FIG. 10B and is ready to start its. swing to the right;

FIG. 101 is a view similar to FIG. 10G with the arm in the same position but moving to the right and with the V smoothing rollers in a new relative position;

. FIG. 10] is a view similar to FIG. 10F with the arm in FIG. K is a view similar to FIG. 10E with the arm in the same position but moving to the right and with the smoothing rollers in a new relative position; and

FIG. 10L is a view similar to FIG. 10D with the arm in the same relative position but moving to the right and with the smoothing rollers in a new relative position.

The exemplified mechanism includes a base having a front side plate 22 and a rear side plate 24. Attached to and extending upwardly from the base 20 are front upright 26 and rear upright 27 with front roller carrier 28 and ear roller carrier 29 attached at right angles to the respective front and rear uprights. A carrier bed extending from carrier 28 to carrier 29, in the present instance, is made up of three equally spaced-apart rollers 30 each roller having reduced end portions journaled and supported in hearings in each carrier. These rollers 30, as shown, are driven by a roller chain 32 running on and engaging sprockets 34 mounted on each of the roller ends extending into the carrier 28. All rollers 30 rotate in the same direction and at the same speed. Rotational power for the rollers is received from a motor source in the base and to be later described, and is transmitted by means of roller chain 36 which engages the lower driving sprocket 38 mounted on driven rotating shaft 39. The chain 36 transmits power to driven sprocket 40 which is mounted on and drives shaft 42. A sprocket 44 also mounted on shaft 42 and driven thereby carries and drives roller chain 46. Roller chain 46 extends to and drives sprocket 47 which is mounted on the end of the front or right-hand roller 30. Sprocket 47 is adjacent to sprocket 34, and as it is driven, so also is chain 36 driven and the rollers 30. The preferred arrangement is best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Traveling strip material 50 may be fed from another source such as a shrinking and drying operation and de livered to rollers 30 which carry and transport it at a preselected speed. From the front or right roller 30 (FIG. 1) the material is directed downwardly to a swinging arm assembly 52. This arm assembly, as exemplified, com I prises two longitudinal members 54 and 55, the near member 54 (FIG. 1) being outside or in front of side plate 22 and the rear member 55 (seen in FIG. 2) being outside or above rear side plate 24. A transverse shaft 56 extends through both plates 22 and 24 and is rotationally mounted therein. Each member 54 and 55 is attached near its lower end to an end of shaft 56 and is moved in an oscillatin-g manner as the shaft 56 is moved.

At the upper or outer end of members 54 and 55 and extending there between are a pair of rotatable spacedapart lay rollers 58 and 60 whose ends are mounted in and supported by these members so as to reciprocate as the members are swung. In the present instance these rollers are driven so as to turn toward each other as shown by the arows of FIG. 1 and also are turned at a rate of speed so that the surface speed of the rollers may be as fast as two or three times the speed of the traveling strip 50. This strip is fed from the right roller 30 to and between lay rollers 58 and 60 by which it is fed to and laidup on a table top 62. Lay rollers 58 and 60 are spaced apart so that the strip material passes freely between them and is acted upon by only that one of them which is in contact with the strip. The rotational speed of rollers 58 and 60 being greater than the traveling strip the portion of traveling strip 50 that is at any one time between right roller 30 and the lay rollers 5860 is kept taut, irrespective of the varying distance between roller 30 and the lay rollers as the arm assembly 52 is oscillated. It is to be noted that, in the apparatus shown, the table top is provided with a central raised portion 63 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The drive of lay rollers 58 and 60 includes a sprocket 64 attached to and driven by shaft 38. Sprocket 64 car ries and drives a roller chain 65 extending to and engaging driven sprocket 66 (FIGS. 1 and 6). The sprocket 66 is fastened to a larger driven sprocket 67 and both sprockets The far ends of rollers 58 and 60 (FIG. 7) have mount-. ed thereon and attached thereto respectively one of a pair of meshed spur gears 72 of equal pitch and teeth. In this manner rotational power from roller 58 is provided to roller 60 to cause it to rotate toward roller 58 at a rate of speed equal to roller 58.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 3, 6 and 8; the i drive system .of the illustrated embodiment includes a motor 74 carrying and driving a pulley 75. A belt 76 extending from pulley 75 engages and drives pulley 77 which is mounted on and drives shaft 38. Also' mounted on the internal inwardly-extending portion of the shaft 1 38 and driven thereby is pulley 78 driving pulley 80 by means of belt 82. Pulley 80 is mounted on and coni nected to the input shaft of a speed reducer 84 which is I mounted on and drives a shaft assembly 86. The ends of assembly 86 are rotatably retained in bearings in side plates 22 and 24 while the intermediate portion of as.- t sembly 86 has a crank arm assembly 88 formed therein.

As shown in exploded view FIG. 9, the crank arm assembly 88 has two shaft portions 89 and 90 having aflixed to their'intermediate ends, respectively, a crank member.

92 or a crank member 93, similar in all respects to each other except as to location. Slots 94 are formed in each '1 crank member, the slots being of predetermined width and length. A connecting stud 96 having both ends v threaded and having a hexagonal wrench-graspable portion intermediate its ends has both body diameter porr tions of a size to just slide in slot 94. A rod end 98 forming one end of a pitinan arm 100 is slid onto stud 96 to a position adjacent the hexagonal portion. A nut 101, commonly called a half-nut is then screwed on the right hand end of stud 96 (FIG. 9) and tightened so as to lock the inner bearing sleeve of the rod end 98 on the stud.

The stud 96 is now mounted in each of the slots 94,'and

by means of nuts 102 the stud 96 with rod end 98 installed thereon is locked in place in the crank arm assembly 88.

The other end of pitman arm 100 which is away from i the crank assembly 88 also has a rod end 104 which by means of bolt 105 is attached to a lever 106 extending from a shaft clamp 108 adjustably mounted and clamped on shaft 56. An assembly shaft 86 is rotated by driven speed reducer 84, the crank arm assembly 88 is rotated and the connected pitman arm 100 is moved in a backr and-forth longitudinal manner so as to swing arm 106 in a predetermined manner and extent. As shaft 56 is rotated back-and-forth through a portion of an arc the 1 arm assembly 52 is swung in controlled oscillations.

Coincidently with the laying-up of the fabric strip 50, there is' an end smoothing and pressing operation performed on the just-formed fold. The operation is per- 6 formed by a pair of rotatable pressure mechanisms or pat roller assemblies which pat and roll over the portions of the laid up fabric at either side thereof. 'In accordance with the invention, this assembly moves in a prescribed circular path and in timed relationship to the oscillations of arm assembly 52 to engage the strip material near the just-folded end and to then pull a roller ofv the assembly .over the just-formed fold. The rotatable pressure mechanism then continues to move in a circular path so as to move out of the .path of the strip 50 while a new fold is being made. Asexempl-ified, the drive of the assembly shaft 86, in addition to driving pitman arm 100, is used to power and control the movement of the rotatable pressure mechanismin time with the move- I ment of the arm assembly.

A short vertical distance above shaft assembly 86 and parallel thereto is a transverse shaft 110. This shaft is Rotational power for sprocket 68 is carried by plates 22 and 24 and extends through these plates. .Mounted on and aflixed to shafts 89 and 110 and disposed next to plate 22 are spur gears 112 both having the same teeth and pitch. Intermediate these two gears 112 and mounted on a stud carried by plate 22 is an idler gear 114 in mesh with both gears -112.

At the other end of the base 20 (the right hand end as seen in FIGS. 1, 6, 7 and 8), there are two additional transverse shafts 116 and .117. Shaft -116 lies in the same plane as assembly shaft=86 and this plane is substantially parallel to the bottom and top of base 20. Shaft 117 lies in the same plane as shaft 110 and is spaced the same distance from shaft'1'10 as is shaft @116 from assembly shaft 86. Mounted on and affixed to shafts :1-16 and 1 17 are spur gears 112 having the same number of teeth and pitch as those on shafts 110 and 89. These gears are also disposed next to plate 22. Intermediate these two gears 1 12 and also mounted on a stud carried by plate 22 is another idler gear 114. This gear similarly engages both gears 112 and insures positive power transmittal from shaft 116 to .117 so that both shafts turn at the same speed and in the same direction.

To provide a precisely timed power transmitting means from assembly shaft 86 to shaft -116, there is shown in FIGS. 3, 7 and 8 a bevel gear system and drive including a bevel gear 120 mounted on and being driven by shaft portion 90. A similar bevel gear 122 of equal teeth is carried by a shaft 124. This gear 122 engages and is driven by gear 120. Shaft 124 is rotatably supported by pillow block bearings 126 mounted on plate 24 and, as shown, these bearings also provide thrust shoulders for the gear 122. On the other end of shaft 124 is similarly arranged another bevel gear drive. Another bevel gear r1522 is mountedon shaft 124 but is disposed at one hundred-eighty degrees from the bevel gear on the other end of this shaft. This bevel gear 122 engages and drives a bevel gear .120 mounted on and driving shaft 116 at the same speed as shaft 90 but in an opposite direction, or as viewed in FIG. 7 shaft 90 turns clockwise and shaft 116 turns counterclockwise.

Each end of assembly shaft 86, and transverse shafts 110, 116 and 117 extend through either side plates 22 or 24. On each of these ends there is mounted a link \128. These links are arranged so that those on each shaft are in the same plane and those on assembly shaft 86 are parallel to those on shaft 110. In a like manner are the links 128 arranged on shafts 116 and 117 with the exception that those links on shafts 116 and 117 are disposed at one hundred-eighty degrees relative position to those on shafts 86 and 110, viz when links 128 on shafts 86 and :110 are disposed Nertically upwards, those links on shafts 116 and 117 are disposed vertically downward,

and when links 128 on shafts 86 and 110 are moved to a' position disposed vertically downward those links on shafts 116 and '117 will be disposed vertically upwards.

At a predetermined identical distance from the axis of the shaft upon which it is mounted, each link 128 has a stud 130 mounted thereon, the axis of the stud 130 and the axis of the respective link-carrying shaft being parallel. A connecting bar 1132 having two spaced bearing means for mounting on studs 130 is attached to the studs so as to connect each vertically paired group of links 128. The spacing of the bearing means in the bars is precisely the same as between the shafts carrying the links 128. In this manner the links and bar are always three sides of a parallelogram and, as shown, the bar 132 is always vertically disposed irrespective of its relative position to the corresponding pairs of shafts.

As viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2 there is attached to the upper end of each connecting bar 132 a transverse support beam 134. There are two of these beams, one on the right end and one on the left end of the apparatus. Each beam is attached to one front and rear connecting bar 132 and preferably extends a short distance outwardly from the juncture of the bar and beam. Upon 6 each of these beams 134 are adjustably and removably mounted one or more rotatable pressure mechanisms. The right hand mechanisms are designated 136, and the left hand mechanisms, which are mirror images thereof, being designated 137. For the sake of this description these rotatable pressure elements are called pat roller assemblies. These pat roller assemblies 136 and 137 provide means for smoothing the transverse folds of the laid-up strip material 50 as each fold is made. As seen particularly in FIGS. 4 and 5, each of the pat roller assemblies 136 and 137 comprises a U-clip 138 adapted to slidably and removably engage support beam 134. In each U-clip 138 there is provided a means for clamping and retaining the assembly on the beam, which, as shown, is a thumb screw 140. A swing arm 142 may be made of a strip of flat stock metal and by a quarter-tum twist provides both a shoulder or face and at ninety degrees thereto a flat surface for the attachment to this surface of one-half of a hinge 144. The other half of this hinge is attached to U-clip 138. The unattached or end opposite the U-clip of swing arm 142 has provision to rotatably receive the reduced end of a pat roller 146. This roller is retained in the arm 142 by means of a snap ring 148 or similar shoulder producing means. As many methods of constructing and mounting a freely-rotating roller 146 to arm 142 may be used, the instant example is for the purposes of illustration only. The particular manner of assembly of the arm 142 to U-clip 138 by hinge 144 is intended to permit the arm to move freely upward as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 5, while limiting the downward movement of the roller and arm, by a stop shoulder 147 at the end of the arm 142 and adapted to contact the U-clip 138.

As exemplified in FIG. 2 the mechanism is arranged for the simultaneous laying up of three strips of tubular fabric 50a, 50b and 500; and each pat roller assembly has a pa roller of a length slightly longer than the strip being folded. In this view the upper orfar pat roller 146a on the right hand assembly 136a as well as that on a left hand assembly 137a partly hidden by strip 50a have a similar length. Both assemblies are clamped to respective support beams 134 so as to engage and smooth the fabric of a fold being made. The intermediate pat roller assemblies provide a roller 146b on the right hand assembly 136b as well as on the left hand assembly 137b whose roller is hidden by strip 50b. The strip 50b and rollers 146b, as shown, are wider and longer than strip 50a and rollers 146a. .Each of the lower or near pat roller assemblies 136a and 137c has a roller 1460 of a length suitable for strip 500. The rollers 1460; as illustrated, have a greater length than 146a and a lesser length than 146b.

In FIGS. 3 and 8 are shown assemblies 136 with two different length rollers in which the far or upper roller 146d (FIG. 8) is greater than the roller 146a or 1460 of FIG. 2 and is less than the lower or near roller 146a. For each strip of fabric being laid-up there are roller assemblies mounted on each beam 134 having either an individual length equal to the strip being laid up or a combined length equal to or greater than the strip being folded. Two or more roller assemblies can be combined in end-to-end relationship to act on a single strip if desired, and, as the roller assemblies apply relatively light pressure on the fabric being laid-up, a relatively long roller may be used on a relatively narrow strip of fabric.

It is important to note that as the shafts 86, 110, 116 and 117 are rotated, the arms 128 will move so that studs will traverse circular paths. Connecting bars 132 carried by the studs 130* will also have any particular point thereon transcribe a circle as the bars 132 are moved by aims .128. The support beams 134 and all pat roller assemblies thereon move in a circular path. During a portion of this circular movement roller 146 contacts and rests on the just-folded fabric strip 50 and as the circular motion continues the roller 146 is drawn Operation The apparatus described above and. shown in FIGS. 1 through 9 operates in the following manner. A traveling strip 50 delivered from an exterior source is received and transported ona series of driven rollers 30 and from. the last of these. rollers the strip is fed downwardly and between-inwardly turning rollers 58 and 60 disposed on the end: of oscillating arm assembly. 52. As the arm. is ocillated the strip material 50. is laid-up/in zig-zag. folds. To insure that the materialis laid. fiat withoutwrinkles and without stretching of the fabric the pat? rollers 146 are moved in a novel manner insuringsmooth even successive folds with no stretching of'fabric irrespective of the heights of the folded piles. Table top 62 with its central portion 63 elevated has twosloped. surfaces 150 thatserve a dual purpose; firstly,.as the end folds are'made; thefabric often forms a natural. loopbecause of thebias created by any stiffness. of thematerial as. made. successively piled ends often. rise higher than the intermediate portions of the pile and,,if excessive, causes an uneven folding and wrinkling of the material and as the pile builds .up it tends to slide. toward thecentral or lower portion of the pile. Disposed on the elevated table portionwith the folded-ends lower than the central portion of the pile, the material from fold to fold tends to stay taut. Secondly, as the ends of the pile are on a downwardly extending. slope the. roller 146 as it is moved over the pile toward the fold is also moved downwardly and outwardly to naturally smooth the just formed fold in a. manner to be hereinafter described.

Referring now to the series of 'FIGS. 10A through 10L, the synchronism of movement between arm.assembly 52, pat{, .roller assembliesv 136 and 137' and the fabric 50 is exemplified in stop-movement studies.of approximately fifteen degrees movement between successive figures. In FIG. 10A arm: assembly 52' isabout thirty degrees right past the vertical. and movingtoward the right. Pat roller 136 is to the right andjust rising from the right sidefold of strip 50 while pat roller 137 is nearly. directly but high above thevbeginning of left slope 150 and is moving downwardly.

InFIG. 10B the arm.52 has moved-to the maximum right: position andis ready. to moveleft. Pat roller assembly 136 is moving upwardly and is just startingto move from the extreme right. hand position. Pat roller assembly 137 is moving downwardly with the roller 146 about to contact the strip pile at about the beginning of slope 150.

In FIG. 100 the arm 52,.moving left, has reached the position .of FIG. 10A and ,pat roller assembly 136. has moved further upward and to the left. Pat roller assembly, 137 has moved'downwardand roller 146' has engaged the strip 50 and the hinges on the arms has allowed the roller to apply its own weight to the pressing of the material. Another right fold'of the strip 50 is in the process of being made.

In FIG. 10D the arm 52, still moving leftward, has reached a position about fifteen degrees from the positionof FIG. 10C and about fifteenv degrees before the vertical. Pat roller assembly 136' has movedfurther upwardand tothe left. Roller 146,, of assembly 137, still applying its own weight by virtue of the hinge action top and is-started downwardly whilestill moving to the. left. Pat roller. assembly 137 has reachedthe bottom of the. stroke and is started upwardwhile still moving.

to the left. Roller 146 has moved off'of'the left strip fold while new. right strip fold is completedand the new top ply is now-beingdeposited-on the underlying ply.

In'FIG. 10F the armr52, .still movingleftward, is now about fifteen degrees past the vertical; of FIG: 10E. Pat roller 136 is moving still further downward and tothe' left while pat roller. assembly 137 is moving upward and further tothe. left. is completed and the next ply ofstrip 50 is being deposited;

In'FIG. 106 the arm SZ} stillmoving leftward, is.now-

about fifteen. degrees further left than FIG; 10F. Pat

roller assembly, 136 hasnearly reached the-leftward'eie tent of its movement andsis starting tomove more rapidly downward. wardly and to the left.

In FIG. IOH the arm .52 has advancedto the maximum left of its swing is ready tomove to the. right Pat roller. 136 has passed the leftward extent of itsmovement andis slightly. more than half-way through its downward movement. Roller 146.. is veryv near. to the strip pile but, as shown, has not quite reached this point. Patroller assembly 137 is still rising and is now starting to move to the right. Meanwhile, strip material 50v is being fed to form anew left hand fold.

In. FIG. 101 the arm. 52,. now moving to the. right, is now about fifteen degrees from-FIG; 10H.and is approximately identical in location to the-position oftthe arm in FIG. 106. Pat. roller. assembly, l-36has moved further downward and. to. the. right so. that when 146 rests upon the just-formed"rightstrip.fold near. the. point where the strip is sloped downwardly by viftueofltable top slope 150I Pat roller. assembly 137. continues to move upwardly and to the right. whilestrip 50has nearly of the arm, has moved down the slope of the fabric formeda new left handfoldn In FIG. 10] the arm'52', continuing in its. movement to the right, is now at theposition-shown inFIG. 10F.

Pat roller assembly 136 has movedstill'. further downward and to the right so that roller 146, still exerting only its own weight; is smoothing andpressingthe.right-hand fold as-the roller moves down the slope. Pat roller assembly 137 continuesits upward movement to. the right whilethe new-leftifold of strip50 is completed'andfthe strip is being laid on the underlying strip.

In FIG. 10K the arm 52,,continuingto move to the right, is now in the. verticalposition of FIG. 10E. Patroller assembly 136 has moved'even further down and to. the right so that roller 146 has just completed its smoothing and pressing action and has left the just pressed right hand fold; Pat roller assembly 137has com pleted its upwardmovemem and'is starting downward while still 'movingto the right. been completed andla' new ply is being laid-'up on.the intermediate portion ofv the underlyingply.

In FIG; 10L the. arm 52,,continuing to move to-the right, is now at the position of FIG. 10D; Pat? roller assembly 136. is. now startingto move upward andlto theleftaway from the laid-up pile while pat roller 137 is now'moving downward and toward'the newly formed left. fold.. The traveling; strip 50 is. now being laid-up in a leffitOi-liglit' manner.

In each' of the FIGSI 10A through 10L the pitman arm is shown in the various positions that it is carriedby crank arm assembly 88. Crank arm assembly 88 is not. shown in the various views, but the location of the rod'end-98 is indicatedby the stud hole diagrammatically shown on the left'end of. thepitman arm 100 in the respective views. In addition, the arrows indicate the movement of' this end of the pitrnan arm. The amount of lay or length between folds, can be adjusted between maximum-and minimum limits by moving the rod end 98 toward or away from the axis of shaft portions 89-9.0T(FIG. 9

Right hand end fold Pat roller. 137. meanwhileis moving up- The new. left foldhas The loosening of nuts 102 and moving the stud 96 and mounted rod end 98 toward the axis of shaft portions 89 and 90 will reduce theswing of the M52 while moving the stud and mounted rod end away from the axis of the shaft portions will increase the swing of the arm 52 and correspondingly the length of strip material between successive folds. The retightening of the nuts 102 locks the stud 96 in the selected position for the desired length of material between successive folds. The adjusting of the length of lay does not change the angular radial relationship of the crank arm assembly 88 and connected pitrnan 100 to the movements of the pat roller assemblies 136 and 137, viz.: when theextreme right swing is made, the arm 52 may be at a lesser angle than shown in FIG. 1013. However the pat roller assemblies will be in the position shown. So also will be the condition when the extreme left swing of FIG. 10H is made with a shorter lay requiring a swing of lesser extent. At two-thirds of the extreme swing the pat roller assemblies will be in the positions of FIGS. 10A, 10C, 10G and 10I while at one-third of the extreme swing the pat paddles will be in the positions of FIGS. 10D, 10F, 10] and 10L. At the two vertical positions of arm 52 the pat roller assemblies will 'be in the locations shown in FIGS. 10B and 10K..

In the present instance, it has been found desirable to attach a counterbalance weight 152 to the lever 106 so as to balance the weight of arm assembly 52. This counterbalance 152 is of sufficient weight to enable arm assembly 52 p and lever 106 withcounterbalance 152 attached to nearly achieve a static balance, and, as so balanced, is very easily moved. The arm 52, in its oscillations in laying the'strip, moves at a slow speed so that the rate of movement and reversal of direction is at a comparatively slow pace and does not cause an excessive or heavy strain on the drive mechanism.

In FIGS.'10A through 10L, the timed motions of-the pat" roller assemblies 136 and 137 are shown so as to illustrate that portion-of circular motion that is used to smooth and fold the endfolds by downwardly and outwardly moving roller 146 over the just formed fold. So also are shown in steps the rest of the circular path traversed by the pat roller assemblies 136 and 137. As timed, and as shown in these figures, the respective roller assemblies move upwardly away from the forming fold and only approach the just-formed fold after arm assembly 52 has moved away from this fold.

p In this series of figures there is also illustrated the process of laying-upa traveling strip of material in zigzag arrangement by the steps of receiving the traveling stripof material from a supply source, transporting the traveling strip of material on a conveying platform, laying-up successively'equal lengths of strip material in zigz ag folded array with each length of material having the end-folded portions lower than the intermediate portions, and smoothing and pressing with light roller strokes and by an outward and downward movement each just-folded end portion. v

' Since certain changes in the constructions set forth, and in carrying out the above processes, which embody the invention, may be made without departing from its scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall tie-interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for laying up traveling strip material comprising reciprocating means for laying up a traveling strip of material in zig-zag pile arrangement on a support surface, a first pressure mechanism including a stripengaging portion, means for moving said strip-engaging portion repeatedly thru a single areuate path, said single path extending toward the folded edge portion of said arrangement at one end, said strip-engaging portion being movable toward the top ply of said arrangement to engage it and then to move outwardly at an angle to said pathto press and smooth the just-formed fold of said strip at said 19 end, a second pressure mechanism inculding a second strip-engaging portion, means for moving said second strip-engaging portion repeatedly thru another single areuate path, said other single path extending toward the folded edge portion of said arrangement at the opposite end, said second strip-engaging portion being'movable toward the top ply of said arrangement to engage it and then move outwardly at an angle to said other path to portion to permit it to be moved outwardly by its respective moving means when it engages the top ply at its end, and operating means synchronized with said reciprocating means for imparting movement to said pressure mechanisms to effectuate such movability of said portions thereof.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein there is provided a support surface for such a pile arrangement, said support surface having an elevated central support section and downwardly and outwardly sloping support sections at each end thereof, each sloping support section lying beneath a portion of a respective one of said areuate paths and disposedso that the ends of the just-formed fold intersect said path of the strip-engaging portion to move said portion out of the path while moving outwardly, and downwardly to and past the fold of the top ply.

3. Fabric laying-up mechanism for traveling strip material comprising reciprocating means for guiding a traveling strip of material over a support surface so as to be laid-up in a zig-zag arrangement of equal lengths of strip material and upon the support surface, a first pressure mechanism repeatedly movable in the same areuate path and having a fold-engaging portion movable toward a just-formed foldto smooth and press the justformed fold of said strip at one end while a fold at the other end is being made, a second pressure mechanism repeatedly movable in the same second areuate path and having a fold-engaging portion movable toward a justformed told at the other end to smooth and press this just-formed fold while a new fold is being made at said one end, means for mounting each of the first and second pressure mechanisms for enabling the moving of the foldengaging portions of the mechanism from its respective areuate path so'that the fold-engaging portion may be pulled outwardly on the just-laid-up fabric and toward and beyond the just-formed fold, and means for moving the first and second pressure mechanisms in timed relationship to the movements of the reciprocating means.

4. Fabric laying-up mechanism for traveling strip material comprising, a support surface for the material,

the support surface having an elevated central portion and a downwardly sloping surface extending from each s end of the central portion, a swinga-ble arm assembly pivotally mounted below the support surface and swingable above the support surface, means for swinging the arm assembly in a timed relationship to the traveling strip material so as to lay the strip in a zig-zag arrangement with each folded strip being the same length, means for adjusting the movement of the swinging-arm assembly so as to predetermine the length of material between folds, a first pressure mechanism movable repeatedly in the same areuate path and having a fold-engaging portion movable repeatedly in the same areuate path, said path extending toward a just-formed fold to smooth and press the just-formed fold of said strip at one end while a fold at the other end is being made, a second pressure mechanism movable repeatedly in the same arcuate path and having a fold-engaging portion movable repeatedly in the same areuate path, said path extending toward a just-formed fold at said other end to smooth and press the just-formed fold at said other end while a new told is being made at said one end, means for mounting each of said first and second pressure mechanisms for permitting the movement of the foldengaging portions of the mechanism from said repeated 1 1 arcuate pathso that the fold-engaging portion may be pulled outwardly on the just-laid-up fabric and toward the just-formed fold, and'means for moving the first and second mechanisms in timed relationship to the movements of. the swinging arm assembly.

5. Fabric laying-up mechanism for traveling strip material comprising, a support surface for the material, the support surface having an elevated central portion and a downwardly sloping surface extending from each end of the central portion, a swingable arm assembly pivotally mounted below the support surface and swingable above the support surface, means for swinging the arm assembly in a timed relationship to the traveling strip material so as to lay the strip in a zig-zag arrangementwith each folded strip being the same length, means for adjusting the movement of the swinging arm assembly so as to predetermine' the length of material between folds,

a first pressure mechanism movable in an arcuate path portions of the mechanism from said arcuate path sothat the fold-engaging portion may move outwardly on the ,just-laid-up fabric and toward the just-formed fold,. and means for moving the first and second mechanisms in timed relationship to the movements of theswinging arm assembly, each of said fold-engaging portions each including a roller and arm means carrying said roller, hinge means mounting saidzarm means for upward rocking thereof and mounted in its respective pressuremechanism for movement itself in an orbit to move said-rollerin an orbit including an arcuate pathintersectingin adownward extension thereof the downwardly sloping portion of the support surface at its respective end for engaging the just laid material adjacenta just-formed-fold and by its own weight and that of its arm means smoothing and pressing the strip as the movement of the pressure mechanism pulls the roller downwardly-and outwardly to and past the. just-formed fold.

6. Fabric laying-up mechanism for pressing and smoothing the folds of a plurality: of travelingistrips of material. arranged in spaced edge-to-edge relationship 'and land up in a zig-zag folded arrangement, comprising a support surface for; the material, oscillating means movable over 'said'surface for guiding and laying up in edge-to-edge relationship a plurality of strips of material in a zigezag arrangement uponthe support surface, means for adjusting the movement ofthe oscillating meansso as to provide a desired length of material between folds, a plurality of first pressure mechanisms on one end, each having afold-engaging portion,,said portrons being simultaneously movablerepeatedly in the same arcuate path with a portion thereof intersecting the.

just-formed folds on said one end produced by said oscillating means, and each ofsaid'portions beingadd-apted to engage such a fold at any of a variety of heights above said surface to press and smooth a just-formed fold While. a told at the. other end is being made in each strip, a plurality of cor-responding second pressure mechanisms on the other end andeach having a fold engaging portion complementarily operable simultaneously while a new fold is being made at the first end in each strip, means for mounting each of said fold-engaging portions for movement outwardly from said repeatedly arcuate path on the just-laid-up fabric and toward the just-formed fold, and means for moving the first and second pressure mechanisms in timed relationship to the movements of the oscillating means.

7. Pressure mechanism for smoothing and pressing the folds, of at least one travelingstrip of'material being. laid-up in zig-zag folded arrangement.

and pressing folds at the respective ends of a strip of material being laid up. and disposed above opposite end'. folds, means for moving the rollers in the same repeated a just-formedfold at a.portion of its arcuate movement. and during the remainingportionof the arcuate-move.

ment to move the strip-engaging roller above. andaway from a foldas it is being made andnnidirectional"hinged.

means forenabling the roller upon contact with the folded stripto move from said repeated. arcuate pat-h under the influences of said-roller-moving means :and to rolloutwardly as it rests-on .the fabric of the folded strip.

8. Pressure mechanism for pressing each. end: of a strip of material as it is laid up. in apile in zigezagfolded arrangement, comprising a. pairv of. transverse support beams, means for carrying each support beam andv mov-- ing it in an inwardly-directed arcuate. path; a pair. of:

hinged mounting means, adjustable means for. attaching.

arcuate path as the respective transverse. beam. is. so

moved, and stop means for limiting the angular move-1 mer1t of each of saidmounting meansrelative to. its. re-.

spectivesupport beam so that-as a.strip-engaging.memb'er. is carried in its arcuatepath itwill be interceptedlbyv the. folded end of a just-formed ply of a pile at avarity of heights and .moved from its arcuate-path along the .foldedil fabric end so as to press and smooth the same.

9. Pressure mechanism for pressing each end of! a plurality. of simultaneously laid-up. strips. of material. as they are laid up in a pile inzig-zagfolded arrangementcomprising a pair of transverse support beams, means.

for carrying each support beam:and rnoving it.in an.in- I wardly-directed arcuate path,- a plurality of. pairs. of. hinged mounting means, adjustable means for attaching; one of each pair of mounting means to arespective transverse beam, a strip-engaging member carried by: each.

mounting means forv movement in an inwardly-directed arcuate path as the-transverse. beam is so.moved,f and--. stop means for limiting. the angularmovementof each i said mounting means relative to itsrespectivesupportw beam so that as a strip-engaging member is.carried-in.its1

arcuate path it will be intercepted byv the folded end'ofl" a just-formed ply of a. pile at avariety of. h'eiglitsand.

moved from its arcuate pathalongthe. foldedlfabricend. '1

was to press-and'smooth the same the. transverse folds formed at one,end.of apileoffabric being laid up in a 'zig-zag foldedarrangementand coma prising support means, a plurality of rotatable. shafts. arranged in parallel alignment and'carried. by the,sup.- port means, means for driving said shaftsin thesamei direction and atthe same speed, anarm mounted. on each.- I endof each shaft and rotatable.therewith,,saidarmsbeing disposed in parallel alighment.with:each other,.a:pai'r. of.

connecting bars pivotally m-ounted on thezarms ahthe respective ends of said shafts, a transverse -beam.con-

necting the pair of connecting bars and. movable .there-.

with to transcribe aninwardlydirected circularpath av pair of hinged -arms,.means to removably and adjustably. clamp said. hinged arms to the transverse: beam,. the.

' arms extending-outwardly when connected to the. beam,

Comprising at. least One pair of a strip-engaging rollers for-smoothing.

13 1 folded end of the pile and is moved out of its circular path along the folded fabric end.

11. Pressure mechanism for smoothing and pressing the folds of at least one traveling strip of material being laid up in zig-zag folded arrangement at one end of such arrangement comprising a plurality of rotatable arms carried by said support means, a pair of connecting bars mounted on the ends of the rotatable arms and movable thereby in a circular path, a transverse support beam carried by the connecting bars and traversing a circular path as the connecting bars are moved, a pair of hinged arms 'each fold-engaging portion includes a roller carried on one end of at least one arm, of which the mounting means comprises a hinge operating mechanism for moving said hinge generally circularly, each hinge being adapted to limit the downward movement of its roller in respect to said operating mechanism and to permit the arm to move freely in a direction which is upward with respect to a downward part of the arcuate movement of the hinge, and wherein the support surface has an elevated central support section and end-receiving sections having downwardly-sloping surfaces extending from both ends of the central support section.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 182,171 9/ 1876 Cottrell 270/ 279 2,653,812 9/ 1953 Cohn et al. 270/79 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,021 5 185 8 Great Britain. 894,791 4/ 1962 Great Britain. 16,179 2/ 1898 Switzerland.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR LAYING UP TRAVELING STRIP MATERIAL COMPRISING RECIPROCATING MEANS FOR LAYING UP A TRAVELING STRIP OF MATERIAL IN ZIG-ZAG PILE ARRANGEMENT ON A SUPPORT SURFACE, A FIRST PRESSURE MECHANISM INCLUDING A STRIPENGAGING PORTION, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID STRIP-ENGAGING PORTION REPEATEDLY THRU A SINGLE ARCUATE PATH, SAID SINGLE PATH EXTENDING TOWARD THE FOLDED EDGE PORTION OF SAID ARRANGEMENT AT ONE END, SAID STRIP-ENGAGING PORTION BEING MOVABLE TOWARD THE TOP PLY OF SAID ARRANGEMENT TO ENGAGE IT AND THEN TO MOVE OUTWARDLY AT AN ANGLE TO SAID PATH TO PRESS AND SMOOTH THE JUST-FORMED FOLD OF SAID STRIP AT SAID END, A SECOND PRESSURE MECHANISM INCLUDING A SECOND STRIP-ENGAGING PORTION, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID SECOND STRIP-ENGAGING PORTION REPEATEDLY THRU ANOTHER SINGLE ARCUATE PATH, SAID OTHER SINGLE PATH EXTENDING TOWARD THE FOLDED EDGE PORTION OF SAID ARRANGEMENT AT THE OPPOSITE END, SAID SECOND STRIP-ENGAGING PORTION BEING MOVABLE TOWARD THE TOP PLY OF SAID ARRANGEMENT TO ENGAGE IT AND THEN MOVE OUTWARDLY AT AN ANGLE TO SAID OTHER PATH TO PRESS AND SMOOTH THE JUST-FORMED FOLD OF SAID STRIP AT SAID OPPOSITE END, MEANS FOR MOUNTING EACH STRIP-ENGAGING PORTION TO PERMIT IT TO BE MOVED OUTWARDLY BY ITS RESPECTIVE MOVING MEANS WHEN IT ENGAGES THE TOP PLY AT ITS END, AND OPERATING MEANS SYNCHRONIZED WITH SAID RECIPROCATING MEANS FOR IMPARTING MOVEMENT TO SAID PRESSURE MECHANISMS TO EFFECTUATE SUCH MOVABILITY OF SAID PORTIONS THEREOF. 